We spoke with Mary Ellen ("Mel") Kosturko, Chief Nursing Officer, and Dr. Rocco Orlando, Chief Academic Officer from Hartford HealthCare (HHC) about joint strategic planning to create, grow and sustain degree-granting programs for future employees.
The United States will face a deficit of 450,000 nurses by 2025, while Connecticut's population of people 65 and older is projected to grow by 57% between 2010 and 2040, and U.S. Census Bureau data shows that Connecticut's population growth was ranked 28th among all states in 2022. Additionally, the American Hospital Association healthcare industry estimates a shortage of 124,000 physicians by 2033, and 200,000 nurses per year need to be hired to meet rising demands.
As such, Hartford HealthCare is transforming into a Teaching Organization. HHC has affiliations with 16 nursing schools for undergraduate education, including ECSU, which admitted its first nursing class in the fall of 2023. Since the demand for rotations exceeds capacity, HHC is pursuing opportunities to develop stronger relationships with preferred partners. Current partnerships include QU, UCONN, Sacred Heart University and CSCU.
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Pictured with Renee DiNino: Mary Ellen ("Mel") Kosturko, Chief Nursing Officer from Hartford HealthCarePhoto: Meredith Krapek